Saccade reprogramming in Friedreich ataxia reveals impairments in the cognitive control of saccadic eye movement

Abstract

Although cerebellar dysfunction has known effects on motor function in Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), it remains unclear the extent to which the reprogramming of eye movements (saccades) and inhibition of well-learned automatic responses are similarly compromised in affected individuals. Here we examined saccade reprogramming to assess the ability of people with FRDA to respond toward unexpected changes in either the amplitude or direction of an "oddball" target. Thirteen individuals with genetically confirmed FRDA and 12 age-matched controls participated in the study. The saccade reprogramming paradigm was used to examine the effect of an unpredictable "oddball" target on saccade latencies and a..